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The Crew Benchmarked

Ride Across the USA. After Assassin's Creed Unity and Far Cry 4, Ubisoft is now launching its third large project at the end of 2014. The Crew appeals to freedom junkies and multiplayer enthusiasts alike with its free world concept. Can the game engine meet the expectations of its fans?
The Crew Logo

For the original German article, see here.

Game Engine

The Crew was developed by the little known studio, Ivory Tower, which is comprised of racing game experts who were involved in the production of games like Test Drive Unlimited. The team, based in France, employs the Babel engine for their first game. As expected for a game of 2014, the engine uses DirectX 11.

The graphics quality is good considering the size of the world. Although a few textures could be sharper and some of the passersby could be more detailed, we believe that The Crew delivers an immersive world. The beautiful day-night change and many small details (dirt and scratches on the car) contribute to the appeal of the game. Of course, there is no dearth of effects: whether it be particles, reflections or shadows - the graphics are always appealing. The cutscenes and detailed landscape round off an already impressive package.

The Crew
The Crew
The Crew
The Crew
The Crew
The Crew

Overall, the game seems to have been produced with a clear goal in mind. In contrast to Assassin's Creed Unity and Far Cry 4, the engine gives us a good, clean impression. At medium settings, the details are quite nice, but we were surprised to find out that even at high AA settings, the borders are not very smooth and at max settings the picture still flickers. The game engine supports FXAA, MSAA and the Nvidia exclusive TXAA. Also on-board are modern features like Ambient Occlusion and HBAO+ (which is reserved for Nvidia chips, but should work with AMD). The graphics menu reveals various options, whether it be for resolution, vertical synchronization, brightness or picture mode. Top: all settings are accepted without a restart.

The Crew
The Crew
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The Crew
The Crew

We do not like the fps limit built into the game, like in Need for Speed Rivals. Depending on the settings, the game runs at 30 or 60 fps. The latter should suffice even demanding games. A note about Rivals: the controls and menus are not great. For example, to get to the menu, you have to press U or +, which is not very intuitive. Overall, the game feels a lot like an arcade game and the control of most cars is easy.

The Crew
The Crew
The Crew
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The Crew

During our benchmarks, most of the servers were online. Now and then, the game had to be turned off due to updates or other tweaks (mistakes logging in). We did not have any crashes. Lags or performance drops during online play was not noticeable.

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The Crew
The Crew
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The Crew

Benchmark

As you can see in the video below, the benchmark consists of a 45 second race to Detroit. The performance in the benchmark hints to how the game will run on average and as such we should achieve at least 30-35 fps and it really gets to be fun above 40 fps.

Low Video Preset
Low Video Preset
Medium Video Preset
Medium Video Preset
High Video Preset
High Video Preset
Ultra Video Preset (@Nvidia)
Ultra Video Preset
Low Video Preset
Low Video Preset
Medium Video Preset
Medium Video Preset
High Video Preset
High Video Preset
Ultra Video Preset (@Nvidia)
Ultra Video Preset

We use the "Low", "Medium", "High" and "Ultra" presets. The Nvidia GPUs have slightly different settings: the highest settings for TXAA and HBAO+ are used. For better comparisons and to have a level playing field, we switched to 4x MSAA and SSAO+, which is standard for both Intel and AMD. Due to the varying illumination (day-night cycle) and the fluctuating traffic, the benchmark results are not always consistent. Depending on the conditions, the fps score changes by a few points.

Results

The hardware hunger of open world games is neither low nor too high. Although a high-end GPU is required for max settings (GeForce GTX 870M or Radeon R9 M290X) but a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels and high details can be run with a GTX 765M or a GTX 850M quite fluidly. At normal details and a resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels, the system requires a middle-class GPU like the GT 750M. Weaker GPUs like the GeForce GT 740M are more suited for the "Low" preset (1,280 x 720 pixels). Pity: the DirectX-11 Intel IGPs are far too slow (HD Graphics 40004600 etc.).

The Crew
    1920x1080 Ultra Video Preset (modified) AA:4x MS     1920x1080 High Video Preset AA:FX     1366x768 Medium Video Preset AA:FX     1280x720 Low Video Preset
GeForce GTX 980, 3770K
Desktop-PC
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
Radeon R9 290X, 4790K, Intel SSD 530 Series SSDSC2BW240A
Sapphire Radeon R9 290X Tri-X OC
59.9 (56min) fps ∼100%
60 (0min) fps ∼100%
60 (0min) fps ∼100%
60 (0min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 980M, 4700MQ
Schenker W504
59.7 (54min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
Radeon R9 280X, 3770K
Desktop-PC
52.3 (43min) fps ∼87%
59.6 (54min) fps ∼99%
59.9 (57min) fps ∼100%
59.9 (57min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 880M, 4700MQ
Schenker W504
48.6 (40min) fps ∼81%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 970M, 4700MQ
Schenker W504
47 (39min) fps ∼78%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 780M, 4700MQ
Schenker W503
41.7 (35min) fps ∼70%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
Radeon R9 M290X, 4700MQ
Schenker W504
40.5 (33min) fps ∼68%
59.9 (57min) fps ∼100%
59.9 (57min) fps ∼100%
60 (57min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 870M, 4700MQ
Schenker W504
36.3 (31min) fps ∼61%
59.8 (54min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 770M, 4700MQ
Schenker W503
29.7 (21min) fps ∼50%
47.1 (40min) fps ∼79%
60 (57min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 860M, 4700MQ
Schenker W504
25 (19min) fps ∼42%
44.8 (37min) fps ∼75%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 765M, 4700MQ
Schenker W503
18.2 (15min) fps ∼30%
30.4 (25min) fps ∼51%
59.4 (54min) fps ∼99%
60 (58min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GTX 850M, 4340M
Schenker M504
17.9 (14min) fps ∼30%
30.4 (27min) fps ∼51%
59.8 (56min) fps ∼100%
59.9 (57min) fps ∼100%
GeForce GT 750M, 4702MQ
Schenker M503
11.1 (8min) fps ∼19%
19.2 (16min) fps ∼32%
38 (31min) fps ∼63%
50.4 (41min) fps ∼84%
Radeon R7 512 Cores (Kaveri Desktop), A10-7850K, Samsung SSD 470 Series MZ-5PA256/EU
A10-7850K Asus A88-XM-PLUS
16.1 (13min) fps ∼27%
30.6 (25min) fps ∼51%
41 (34min) fps ∼68%
Iris Pro Graphics 5200, 4750HQ, Intel SSD 525 Series SSDMCEAC180B3
SCHENKER S413
9.4 (6min) fps ∼16%
16.2 (13min) fps ∼27%
31 (25min) fps ∼52%
45 (35min) fps ∼75%
GeForce GT 640M, 2637M, Lite-On LMT-256M3M
Acer Aspire M3-581TG
16.4 (13min) fps ∼27%
27.6 (18min) fps ∼46%
42.2 (33min) fps ∼70%
GeForce GT 740M, 4200M
HP Envy 15-j011sg
7.7 (5min) fps ∼13%
12.9 (11min) fps ∼22%
27 (24min) fps ∼45%
36.6 (32min) fps ∼61%
GeForce GT 720M, 4200M, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
MSI CX61-i572M
10.2 (0min) fps ∼17%
21.6 (0min) fps ∼36%
28.9 (0min) fps ∼48%
GeForce GT 630M, 3720QM, Seagate Momentus 7200.5 ST9750420AS
Asus N56VM
20.7 (17min) fps ∼35%
29.9 (20min) fps ∼50%
HD Graphics 4600, 4700MQ
Schenker W503
5.3 (2min) fps ∼9%
10.2 (7min) fps ∼17%
20.1 (16min) fps ∼34%
29 (20min) fps ∼48%

Test Systems

Four of our test models are from Schenker technologies (mysn.de):

  • W504 (Core i7-4700MQ, 8 GB DDR3, GeForce GTX 860M, GTX 870M, GTX 880M, GTX 970M, GTX 980M, Radeon R9 M290X)
  • W503 (Core i7-4700MQ, 8 GB DDR3, GeForce GTX 765M, GTX 770M, GTX 780M)
  • M504 (Core i5-4340M, 8 GB DDR3, GeForce GTX 850M)
  • M503 (Core i7-4702MQ, 8 GB DDR3, GeForce GT 750M)

These notebooks all use Windows 7 64 bit.

Other test models provided by Nvidia:

Intel provided:

  • Schenker S413 (Core i7-4750HQ, 8 GB DDR3, Iris Pro Graphics 5200)

The desktop PCs use the CPUs/APUs from Intel and AMD, SSDs from Micron, Intel and Samsung, mainboards from Intel and Asus and graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD.

The GPU drivers: Nvidia 344.75, AMD 14.11.2 Beta, Intel 10.18.10.3960

Overview

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 The Crew (2014)
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Qualcomm Adreno 304
AMD Radeon Pro 560
Qualcomm Adreno 302
AMD Radeon HD 6850M
AMD Radeon HD 6830M
AMD Radeon HD 6310
AMD Radeon HD 6320
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AMD Radeon 760M
AMD Radeon 680M
AMD Radeon HD 6775G2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
60n2
60n2
60n2
59.75n2
NVIDIA RTX A5500 Laptop GPU
AMD Radeon Pro 455
AMD Radeon Pro 555X
AMD Radeon HD 6650M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5300M
AMD Radeon HD 6680G2
AMD Radeon HD 6690G2
AMD Radeon HD 6480G + HD 7450M Dual Graphics
AMD Radeon HD 6250
AMD FirePro W5130M
AMD Radeon HD 7430M
AMD Radeon HD 7350M
AMD Radeon HD 7370M
AMD Radeon HD 7340
AMD Radeon HD 7290
PosModel< PrevNext >The Crew
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Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
NVIDIA GeForce Go 6200
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 SLI (Laptop)
Intel UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen)
NVIDIA GeForce 9200M GS
Nvidia RTX 1000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
Intel UHD Graphics 630
NVIDIA GeForce 920M
27.85n2
21.65n2
11.65n2
7.75n2
Intel HD Graphics 2500
NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX
NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT SLI
NVIDIA GeForce Go 6250
NVIDIA RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
NVIDIA RTX 3000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
NVIDIA Quadro T2000 Max-Q
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
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PowerVR SGX543MP3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M SLI
PowerVR SGX535
NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU
NVIDIA Titan RTX
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AMD Radeon HD 6730M
Qualcomm Adreno 225
AMD Radeon HD 6450 GDDR5
AMD Radeon HD 6480G
AMD Radeon Graphics (Ryzen 7000)
AMD Radeon 780M
AMD Radeon 630
AMD Radeon 625
AMD FirePro M8900
AMD FirePro W5170M
AMD Radeon 520
AMD Radeon HD 6630M
AMD Radeon HD 7500G
AMD Radeon HD 6450M
AMD Radeon HD 6290
AMD Radeon 740M
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AMD FirePro W4190M
AMD Radeon 540X
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
60
59
32
16.3
NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M
AMD Radeon Pro 460
AMD Radeon HD 6540G2
AMD Radeon HD 6545G2
AMD Radeon HD 6870M
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AMD Radeon HD 6530M
AMD Radeon HD 7640G
AMD Radeon HD 6950M
AMD Radeon HD 7640G + HD 7610M Dual Graphics
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AMD Radeon HD 6550M
NVIDIA T600 Laptop GPU
NVIDIA GeForce 920MX
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low med. high ultra
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q
NVIDIA Quadro P4200
AMD Radeon HD 6620G + HD 7670M Dual Graphics
AMD Radeon HD 6520G + HD 7450M Dual Graphics
AMD Radeon HD 6550D
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AMD Radeon Pro 555
NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 GT
AMD Radeon Pro 5600M
AMD Radeon Pro 560X
AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16
AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20
AMD Radeon Pro WX 2100
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AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
NVIDIA GeForce GT 445M
AMD Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
AMD Radeon HD 6990M
AMD Radeon HD 6970M
AMD Radeon HD 6970
AMD Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
ATI Radeon HD 5570
AMD Radeon HD 7660G + HD 7670M Dual Graphics
ATI Mobility Radeon X800
ATI Radeon IGP 340M
ATI Mobility Radeon X700
ATI Radeon IGP 320M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 435M
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low med. high ultra
NVIDIA GeForce GT 430
NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G
NVIDIA GeForce 830M
39.3
29.4
11.9
6.1
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 320M
NVIDIA GeForce MX450
NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M
NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation
NVIDIA GeForce 825M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 420M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 415M
NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
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low med. high ultra
NVIDIA GeForce GT 625M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M
36.6
27
12.9
7.7
NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 SLI (Laptop)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 735M
NVIDIA Quadro P5000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 720M
28.9
21.6
10.2
NVIDIA Quadro P3200
AMD Radeon HD 6720G2
AMD Radeon HD 6515G2
AMD Radeon HD 6510G2
PowerVR GE8300
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
Qualcomm Adreno 205
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 Max-Q
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NVIDIA Titan X Pascal
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q
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PowerVR GXA6850
PowerVR GX6450
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PowerVR GM9446
PowerVR GE8322 / IMG8322
PowerVR SGX544
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AMD Radeon R5 M420
AMD Radeon HD 6520G
AMD Radeon HD 6470M
AMD Radeon HD 6750M
AMD Radeon HD 6490M
AMD Radeon 660M
AMD FirePro W4170M
AMD FirePro W2100
AMD Radeon HD 6370M
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low med. high ultra
AMD Radeon HD 6350M
AMD Radeon HD 6330M
AMD Radeon 620
AMD Radeon 610
AMD Radeon 610M
AMD FirePro W4100
AMD FirePro M5950
AMD FirePro M4000
AMD FirePro M6100
AMD FirePro M3900
AMD FirePro M4100
AMD Radeon 530
AMD FirePro M2000
AMD Radeon HD 6770M
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AMD Radeon HD 6790
AMD FirePro M6000
AMD Radeon Pro W6800
NVIDIA RTX A4500 Laptop GPU
AMD FirePro M5100
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low med. high ultra
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M SLI
AMD Radeon HD 6645G2
AMD Radeon HD 6760G2
NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTS
ATI Radeon HD 5850
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 (Laptop)
NVIDIA Quadro P3000 Max-Q
AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980
60
60
60
60
AMD Radeon HD 6870
AMD FirePro W7170M
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AMD Radeon HD 6430M
AMD Radeon HD 6380G
AMD Radeon R6 (Kaveri)
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo)
AMD Radeon HD 7310
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M SLI
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M
60
60
59.2
34.2
AMD Radeon HD 6620G + HD 7450M Dual Graphics
AMD Radeon R5 M335
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PosModel< PrevNext >The Crew
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AMD Radeon PRO W6600M
AMD Radeon R5 M430
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 150M
AMD Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
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PowerVR SGX545
AMD Radeon HD 8970M
AMD Radeon HD 6640G2
AMD Radeon Pro 450
AMD Radeon HD 6620G
Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580
(-) * Smaller values are better. / n123 Number of benchmarks for this median value / * Approximate position

 

Legend
5Stutters – This game is very likely to stutter and have poor frame rates. Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, average frame rates are expected to fall below 25fps
May Stutter – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game. Based on interpolated information from surrounding graphics cards of similar performance levels, stutters and poor frame rates are expected.
30Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 25fps
40Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 35fps
60Fluent – Based on all known benchmarks using the specified graphical settings, this game should run at or above 58fps
May Run Fluently – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game. Based on interpolated information from surrounding graphics cards of similar performance levels, fluent frame rates are expected.
?Uncertain – This graphics card experienced unexpected performance issues during testing for this game. A slower card may be able to achieve better and more consistent frame rates than this particular GPU running the same benchmark scene.
Uncertain – This graphics card has not been explicitly tested on this game and no reliable interpolation can be made based on the performances of surrounding cards of the same class or family.
The value in the fields displays the average frame rate of all values in the database. Move your cursor over the value to see individual results.
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Florian Glaser, 2014-12-17 (Update: 2021-05-18)